


Arachnophobia

by ThePlatypusPrincess



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Arachnophobia, Flashbacks, Headcanon, M/M, Not Canon Compliant, Omnic Crisis, Omnics, assistance omnics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-15
Updated: 2018-08-15
Packaged: 2019-06-27 23:49:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15695892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThePlatypusPrincess/pseuds/ThePlatypusPrincess
Summary: All relationships need two things: a person who is afraid of spiders and a person who will get rid of them without question.





	Arachnophobia

**Author's Note:**

> Hello friendos I have fallen hard down the Reaper76 rabbit hole. Don't try to rescue me. 
> 
> Again, this was inspired by crazy headcanons and late-night conversations with my friend Emily, who also graciously beta-reads a lot of my fics. 
> 
> (Yes, I am aware I'm probably getting a lot wrong about omnic lore but this idea spoke to me.)
> 
> Enjoy.

“Jack, duck.” 

 

The calm yet slightly distorted voice had the desired effect as the snow-white hair dipped a bit, a tendril of back smoke gripping right above it. It shook a bit as it retracted back to its owner. Hana frowned as Jack straightened his neck. 

 

“What was that about?” She asked the constantly crumbling man on the couch. Reyes sent the tendril around the corner to where he knew the covered trash can was and gave a grim grin as the lid slammed. 

 

“Nothing at all.” 

 

McCree slid onto a backwards chair near the gamer and frowned. “Don't go actin’ all nonchalant, Gabe. I know that voice. That's yer ‘everythin's gonna be okay’ voice.” 

 

Jack twitched his nose. “Spider about to land on my head?”

 

“Just a little one.” Gabe arched an eyebrow. “Gonna be twitchy all day now, huh?” 

 

“Yeah. Thanks for killing it.” 

 

Hana looked between the two. “Wait, you're telling me that dad number one is afraid of spiders?” She huffed. “Now who am I supposed to go to when I have them in my room?” 

 

Gabe smirked, raising a hand. “A good relationship needs someone who is afraid of spiders and someone who will get rid of them without question.” 

 

“Cool. Lucio can kill mine then.” 

 

A voice from the kitchen called out. “C’mon, man!” 

 

McCree tipped his hat upwards. “Maybe it's just the fact I've been around tarantulas for half my life but how can you, golden boy Jack Morrison, be afraid of spiders? Didn't you live on a farm or somethin’?”

 

Jack crossed his arms, dark glasses staring pointedly at the floor. Gabe chuckled. 

 

“That's not how phobias work, ingrate. Not all of them have a traceable trigger. If I recall correctly, you're still a claustrophobic mess which is why the elevators in every single Overwatch facility had to be widened.” His face remained deadpan as Jesse tugged his hat lower. “Torbjorn had a field day and nearly outfitted them with turrets.” 

 

Jesse grumbled something unintelligible as Hanzo joined in on a pouf near the window. “Is that why he was so upset when Winston turned down his request for modifications?” 

 

Gabe nodded, clearly enjoying the fact that he got one up on his former subordinate. “Like, little micro turrets with biosensors. In the inner areas. Made no sense.” 

 

Hanzo looked at Jesse. “You were discussing phobias? If it makes you feel any better Genji slept with his dragon for years because it kept the room lit.” 

 

No one blinked when a shuriken narrowly missed the elder brother’s ponytail from outside the window. 

 

“Yeah, well, at least it ain't spiders.” 

 

Jack stayed silent as the room erupted at McCree. 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The omnic research and manufacturing facility looked like any other lab they'd raided in the past. Jack sighed as Gabe held out the redacted files. 

 

“So all we've got to go on is the not blacked-out words ‘Creature Division?’”

 

Gabe nodded. “Yeah… it's not much but it's all we have. Head guy is in there and swears there's nothing harmful but you know how that usually goes.” 

 

Jack nodded, frowning. “That's what I'm afraid of. Come on.” 

 

Their commanding officer stood with a stout, sour man in a pristine lab coat who was nervously fiddling with his name badge. The officer looked none too pleased. 

 

“This is just a search and extraction. You're armed with emergency E.M.P. canisters that are to be used only when absolutely necessary. Just get whatever this tight-lipped idiot has inside and get out.” He glowered at the omnic tech. “Just get it done fast before whatever it is has time to turn rogue.” 

 

The SEP members saluted and entered the building through the side. There was no sense in trying to get to the area from the front door according to the map as everything was in the back. 

 

Gabe huffed. “Great. Why can't they just do everything in one room? Why do they gotta have little tiny rooms? It's not like this is a college. They're not teaching grad students.” 

 

Jack rolled his eyes, by now used to Gabe’s grumbling when his dander was up. The five-soldier group branched off to the separate four rooms in the hallway; Gabe taking the closest and Jack taking the farthest. 

 

The omnic sensor read objects in Jack's room but they were… small? He furrowed his brow. It did say “Creature,” after all. Jack slowly opened the door, burst at the ready, and saw… nothing. He frowned. The sensor definitely said something was right near the- 

 

Jack nearly let out an undignified yelp as something brushed against his shin. He stumbled back into the doorframe as a pair of glowing green eyes looked up at him. 

 

LED backing, he thought with relief. Aka, not a typical omnic. Jack knelt down and felt a heavy head bump against his hand. The power was off to prevent the omnics from recharging so he lit the thing with his flashlight. 

 

It was a kitten, heavy and definitely a robot, covered in a patchwork of test faux furs. Its LED display eyes blinked as it toddled toward the table. 

 

“You want me to follow you?”

 

It gave a tinny meow and Jack picked up a tablet. It was an instruction manual. He tapped his com. 

 

“Sir!”

 

“Morrison?”

 

“I've come across what seems to be a pet or companion animal initiative? A bunch of omnic… critter bots…” 

 

The officer signed. “Just make sure they're neutralized.” The com went dead and Jack cleared his throat. 

 

“Activate?”

 

Seven pairs of green LED eyes opened to the sound of his voice. Jack exhaled. 

 

“Ok then… calm companion mode?”

 

The eyes blinked and each set let out a soft hoot or coo. A puppy omnic raced up to Jack, bonking its head clumsily on the high boot. Jack laughed and picked it up. 

 

“Hey, Gabe!”

 

The slightly taller man grouched in from his empty room and paused. 

 

“A...toy?”

 

“Companion bots, I think. So, just fancy toys. Kinda want to keep the dog and cat.”

 

Gabe crouched in front of an iguana tank. “These sure are a cut above a lot of the omnics coming out lately. Hey, they've even got a spider. It's chubby.” 

 

Jack flinched and picked up the kitten. “Thanks, but I'll stick with the fluffy ones.” 

 

“Dude, it is fluffy. Look! It's got a full LED face!” 

 

Jack leaned back to take a quick look and was puzzled to see that it was… pleasant? It was, indeed, chubby with a slightly curved screen for a face. Cute emojis expressed its joy at seeing two people in its dark room and it tapped the glass with very blunt feet. Just like Gabe said, it was covered in the same tester skins as the kitty. All in all, it looked huggable. 

 

“Cute…” muttered Jack, inadvertently kneading his fingers into the plush fur of the kitten as it purred. The puppy licked at his chest and gave a yawn. 

 

“Ok look, we'll take everything out and tag it and let it all live in a containment unit. I doubt they'll be deactivated just because they're programmed to be playful. I doubt even the bird has a mean bone in its body.” 

 

Gabe nodded, picking up the tarantula and iguana cases. “Sounds good to me. We'll pass these babies off to the others and the two of us will do one last sweep.” 

 

Jack nodded and scritched the puppy’s ears as he handed it off to another agent. It whined, clearly attached already. 

 

“Hey, they'll take care of you, buddy.” 

 

The kitten hopped onto another agent as she picked up a parrot. The animals considered themselves thoroughly cuddled by the remaining three agents as Jack and Gabe began a final sweep. 

 

Jack picked a different room even less lit than the original one. The sensor picked up no omnics and he nodded. 

 

“Alright, nothing here. Just some spare parts.” 

 

“Sounds good. I'll be right there.” 

 

Jack was about to leave when he froze. The omnic sensor still read nothing...and yet there were four sets of eyes glaring at him from the other side of the room that weren't the LED friendly displays. Two large glass orbs with six placed evenly behind and above. Jack knew that pattern. He hated that pattern. 

 

The iridescent vermilion blinked lazily as the gigantic omnic shook itself to life. Jack blinked. The sensor was supposed to pick up even deactivated husks. How did this one escape? 

 

A very sharp foreleg shot out to steady it as it lurched into the dim light from the window. Its eight eyes laser focused onto Jack as the bulbus form powered to life. Unlike the cute one in the case, Jack unfortunately observed, this one had a fully articulated face. 

 

“H...help…”

 

Of course the com was dead. Of course his fingers were fumbling. Of course the thing looked to be incredibly fast. 

 

His thumb smashed down on the trigger of the E.M.P. and saw a few electronics go dead. And yet not the monstrosity in front of him. It clicked sickeningly as Jack's thumb spasmed on the button. He panted, eyes flicking over to the door. 

 

Come on, Morrison, it's right there. 

 

Just a little step to the left. 

 

Just jump...to the left. 

 

Just strafe to the left. 

 

Just-

 

“Hey, Morrison-” 

 

Jack lurched toward the voice as the giant omnic struck. Gabe caught him, dragging him out of the doorway with a puzzled expression on his face. 

 

“Jack, what's-”

 

The omnic swiped out a leg through the door and Gabe gave a shout. 

 

“That is a big spider! Hey, Jack, you okay?” 

 

Jack clutched the trigger on the floor, legs curled up to his chest, eyes wide and unseeing. Gabe knelt down and placed a hand on his shoulder. 

 

“Jack?”

 

Jack flinched and Gabe picked up the pulse rifle. He hefted the weapon and fired the helix rockets into the arachnid’s face. It gave something akin to a shriek, falling onto three legs. Gabe lifted Jack under his arms, dragging him backwards from the now melting face. 

 

“Giant omnic!” He yelled into the com. “Giant omnic! I need backup! Regular weapons don't have much of an effect. Get me somebody!” Jack reached back, a choking noise ripping from his chest as he fired one of the dual pistols at the pursuing omnic. He clutched the weapon as it emptied and a battalion of soldiers passed them to fire at the spider. Gabe tugged him behind a corner and knelt in front of him. 

 

“Morrison! Jack!” He peered closer at his companion’s face. “Jack?” 

 

“I'm fine.” 

 

Gabe frowned. “No, you're not.” He leaned Jack back against the wall as he tried to move. “Breathe.” Jack shook his head as the firing grew more frantic. “You're panicking. Just breathe. In and out. That's it.” 

 

Jack nearly whistled as he exhaled. “I… can't…” 

 

“Farm boy’s arachnophobic, huh?” Gabe rubbed a hand over his beard. “No wonder you freaked out in the bathroom when a little one ended up on the corner of the mirror.” 

 

Jack shot him a look that would have killed if it hadn't been tempered by terror. Gabe sat down next to him, wrapping a loose arm around his shoulder. 

 

“They'll take care of it.” 

 

Gabe squeezed gently, quelling the shaking as the sounds of battle died down. 

 

“Hey, I bet they'll let you play with the omnic puppy if you volunteer to watch it.” 

 

Jack coughed out a laugh. “S… sure…” 

 

The quaking lessened and Jack brought a leg up to his chest. 

 

“I hate spiders.” 

 

“I know.” 

 

Jack shook his head. “Did you see its face? It had a realistic face.” 

 

“I know.” 

 

“What purpose could an omnic like that serve?” 

 

Gabe shrugged. “No idea. Battle, maybe. But the Bastion units and OR15 centaurs are both at least partially animal based. This is just a lot more intimidating. But at least this is just a prototype.” Gabe rubbed the back of Jack’s neck. “Come on. We run into any real spiders, I'll get rid of them.” He helped his friend to his feet and made sure he wasn't at least physically injured. Jack leaned imperceptibly into Gabe. After that display he doubted that Gabe would let another arachnid within twenty feet of either of them ever again. 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Jack snuggled into Gabe’s side on the couch as the members of Overwatch bickered around him. Gabe placed a hand on the top of Jack’s head, tendrils reaching around to flick McCree’s hat. 

 

All was well for now. Not one spider in sight. Nothing gigantic. And he was back to being whole: one person afraid of spiders and one to keep them away.


End file.
